Chapter 4: The Night She Chose
Marcus stared at Derek.
“Say that again.””
Derek didn't move.
“Renee suspected you were Aaliyah's biological father eighteen years ago.””
Marcus looked at Renee.
She had gone completely still.
“Is that true?””
Renee's eyes filled with tears.
“Marcus…”
“Is it true?””
“Yes.””
The word barely left her mouth.
Marcus stepped backward.
The attic suddenly felt too small.
He looked at the photograph in his hand again. Aaliyah as a newborn. Renee beside the hospital bed. The unknown man standing in the corner.
“Why?”” Marcus asked.
Renee wiped her face.
“Because I knew the dates didn't make sense.””
“What dates?””
“The night I met you.””
Marcus frowned.
“You met me after Aaliyah was born.””
“I know.””
“Then how could I possibly be her father?””
Renee looked at him.
“Because I met you before she was born.””
Marcus froze.
Derek closed his eyes.
Aaliyah whispered, “Mom…”
Renee sank onto an old wooden chair.
“I never told you because I was ashamed.””
Marcus's voice became hollow.
“You told me we met at the hospital fundraiser.””
“That was the first time I told you about Aaliyah.””
“That's not what I asked.””
Renee looked down.
“You were a volunteer at the clinic where I was getting prenatal care.””
Marcus's face changed.
He remembered.
Not clearly.
Just fragments.
A woman crying in a hallway.
A blue sweater.
A paper cup of vending-machine coffee.
A conversation with someone who had been terrified.
He had forgotten her face.
But suddenly, the memory was coming back.
“You were pregnant,” he whispered.
Renee nodded.
“I was.””
“With Aaliyah?””
“Yes.””
Marcus turned away.
“How did I not know?””
“Because I never told you.””
“Why?””
Renee's voice broke.
“Because you were married.””
The attic went silent.
Marcus stared at her.
“My marriage was over by then.””
“Not legally.””
He closed his eyes.
Renee continued.
“I knew you were separated. I knew you were planning to leave. But I also knew your wife was pregnant.””
Marcus slowly turned.
“My wife wasn't pregnant.””
Renee stared at him.
“She told you she was.””
Marcus felt something inside him collapse.
“She told me she lost the baby.””
Renee shook her head.
“She never lost it.””
Aaliyah looked confused.
“What does that mean?””
Marcus couldn't answer.
Derek finally spoke.
“It means your life before Renee was already built on a lie.””
Marcus looked at him sharply.
“How do you know all this?””
Derek reached into his jacket.
He pulled out an old envelope.
“I found this years ago.””
He handed it to Marcus.
Inside was a copy of a hospital record.
Marcus scanned the page.
The date.
The clinic.
The patient's name.
His own name appeared under *Father/Partner Present*.
Marcus's hands began shaking.
“I don't remember signing this.””
“You didn't,” Renee said.
Marcus looked at her.
“Then who did?””
Renee's silence was enough.
“You forged my name.””
“I was scared.””
“You forged my name on my daughter's birth records.””
“I didn't know if you'd believe me.””
Marcus laughed, but there was no humor in it.
“You could have told me.””
“I tried.””
“When?””
“The night before Aaliyah was born.””
Marcus searched his memory.
Renee continued.
“You came to the clinic after I called you.””
Marcus stared at her.
“And?””
“You were with your wife.””
He remembered a storm that night.
He remembered an argument in a parking lot.
He remembered his wife crying.
He remembered driving away.
But he didn't remember Renee.
“I waited outside,” Renee whispered.
Marcus's eyes filled.
“I waited three hours.””
Aaliyah covered her mouth.
“You never told me.””
“I was afraid.””
Derek stood.
“And I was already in the picture.””
Marcus looked at him.
“You.””
Derek nodded.
“I was Renee's boyfriend before she met you.””
Renee shook her head.
“That isn't the whole truth.””
Derek looked at her.
“Don't.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“What isn't the whole truth?””
Renee stared at Derek.
“Derek knew Aaliyah might not be his.””
Derek's face hardened.
“I knew there was a possibility.””
“You knew.””
“I suspected.””
“And you still took the fake DNA report.””
Derek looked away.
“I thought she was yours.””
Aaliyah stared at him.
“So you walked away because you thought I wasn't yours?””
“Yes.””
“And you came back today because?””
Derek's eyes filled.
“Because I found the real report.””
Marcus looked at him.
“What real report?””
Derek pointed at the DNA test on the table downstairs.
“The one that says Marcus is your biological father.””
Marcus couldn't breathe.
Renee whispered, “I never knew for certain.””
“You knew enough to test.””
“Yes.””
“And you waited eighteen years.””
“I thought you were better off without the truth.””
Marcus looked at Aaliyah.
She was crying silently.
He wanted to cross the room and hold her.
But he couldn't move.
Because for eighteen years, he had believed he had chosen to become her father.
Now he was learning that maybe the choice had been taken from him.
Then Derek reached into his pocket again.
“There is one more thing.””
Marcus looked at him.
Derek pulled out a second photograph.
This one was dated the night Aaliyah was born.
Marcus stared at it.
His face went white.
Because standing beside Renee in the photograph wasn't Derek.
It was Marcus.
May you like
And the date on the back was eighteen years ago.
The night Marcus had been told he never met Renee.
